Shelved PLUS
by CandleHeadButt
Summary: An updated revision of my earliest fan fic, Shelved gets an upgrade! In the weeks after the game reset, Taffyta is feeling the reception of an arcade that no longer views her as the sweet racer she wants to be and she doubts her own skills and code because of it. Vanellope wants to help but finds herself in trouble that might throw the game off for good.
1. Chapter 1 - Tarnished

Chapter One – Tarnished

"Okay, let's get ready…"

Breath in, breath out.

"Its just like every other race day…."

Put on gloves, put on helmet.

"How many years have you been doin' this? Nearin' twenty?"

Hop into car, start engines.

It was another glorious race day in Sugar Rush, the sun still up, the sky still bright and every racer lined up and ready for the random roster race. The crowds were going WILD as the kids lined up with their cars but for anyone who was familiar with the little game, they would have told any new comer that the crowds had never been THIS excited before.

Ever since the event, ever since TURBO, the attendance at the races seemed to have doubled.

No, TRIPLED!

When word got out about the shunned racer, the real ruler, one Vanellope Von Schweetz, people HAD to come to see just how fast paced the races were.

And just how good SHE was.

No one could deny it; Vanellope had skill.

What was that saying she was fond of? It was in her code?

Yeah, it was in her code.

She of course led the pack, the crowds cheering more than ever as they saw her little cart come up to the starting line. She waved and smiled, never in her wildest dreams did she imagine that such an outpouring of excitement and love would be thrown towards her. For a greater portion of her life, the only thing she had been given was hatred.

Fueled by a deceitful ruler and warped minds, Vanellope had become a prisoner in her own home.

But things were different now. She had the love and adoration of so many in the arcade that to see them, she just didn't know what to do.

This was a new day for Vanellope Von Schweetz.

But it was also a new day for the other racers as well.

And one in particular.

Taffyta Muttonfudge.

She couldn't hide it from herself no matter how much she wanted to; she didn't want to go out there to the crowds.

It was so ironic that not too long ago, the little pink racer would have LOVED to be in Vanellope's spot. Once upon a time, it was HER who was in the front, HER who the crowds cheered and adored.

But now?

The girl gripped the steering wheel, her gloves squeaking on the candied surface.

She wanted to race, right?

She loved racing, right?

It was in her code…..

RIGHT?

At this point, she no longer knew. All she knew was that once she showed her face, she could hear them.

Not the other racers, not the programmed fans.

THEM.

The other citizens of the arcade. The ones who came from other games just to watch.

Just to watch her fail.

Just to watch her humiliate herself.

It was getting worse each roster race. At first, she paid no mind. The few jeers of fans didn't bother her but as word moved faster and faster around the arcade of what had gone in the game, they started to get louder.

They started to get meaner.

Crueler.

All the anger was aimed at her or at least most of it. There were so many who were not shy about their thoughts of the other racers but when it all came down to it, Taffyta always seemed to get the worst of it.

She heard that they called her. Who couldn't with as loud as they were?

They called her a brat, they called her a bully.

Over and over again, it came. Over and over.

And then they started to get personal. It wasn't just that she was labeled a brat, labeled a bully.

It was her very existence that they attacked.

She was never good. She was programmed to mean. She was never meant to be good.

She was programmed to be terrible, to be nothing, to be a….

A….

A loser.

And their constant yells and jeers when she arrived at the starting line was always there to remind her.

Taffyta might have played a good game but there was no hiding it. She was starting to chip away, little by little, piece by piece.

Like a piece of stale candy.

She was losing focus, losing concentration. Random roster racers were no longer fun to her because she no longer wanted to be there.

Why would she want to be there? She was always surrounded by those who were there to remind her of her 'place'.

And her place was always behind Vanellope.

Because she wasn't like Vanellope, she was always destined to be the loser.

The brat.

The bully.

She pulled her car out into the line-up, pulling up right beside Vanellope.

The tiny candy people cheered, as usual, but their sweet laughter and shouts were all but drowned out by now.

She could ready hear them. Yelling, screaming, laughing.

They wanted her to hear there shouts, they wanted her to hear how they felt.

And she felt it.

She gripped harder onto the steering wheel, her heart pounding and her blood boiling.

She hated this. She hated it so much.

She hated racing, she hated the crowds, she hated….

She hated….

She hated herself.

Three! Two! One!

**_GO!_**

Off like a start the children went, the sugar-filled dust billowing up into the air as tires met road. Vanellope took the lead but Taffyta was right on her heels. The raven-haired racer looked back, a grin on her face but it was quickly wiped away when she peered into Taffyta's eyes.

They were burning, filled with such anger and sadness.

"What's up with Taffyta?" the girl thought to herself, feeling a bit of a shiver run down her spine. She knew the strawberry racer was hot headed but she had never seen such a glint like that before. Taffyta pulled aside the vanilla racer but her focus was still aimed right ahead. It was if she didn't even know that Vanellope was right beside her.

"Hey, arcade ta Taffy-Butt!"

Shut up.

"Taffyta, I know you can hear!"

Stop it.

"Taffyta, say somethin'! I'm worried!"

Worried? Why are you worried?

I'm just a brat after all.

Taffyta SLAMMED her foot upon the gas, taking off faster than lightening.

PINK lightening of course.

Vanellope blinked as she watched the girl go ahead but she quickly followed! This was a race after all. Taffyta caught sight of the race behind her.

She knew what was coming up.

The GLITCH.

She didn't know what was worse; the fact that people rubbed it in her face that Vanellope had POWERS over the others or the fact they got mad at her when she found a way to go around it.

It was always something.

When the other racers learned a trick or two to master around it, they always got booed.

And of course, when it was TAFFYTA'S actions that did it, she got it the worse.

What did they expect the racers to do? Just LET Vanellope win every race?

Apparently so.

Apparently they WANTED the others to loose.

But Taffyta wasn't having that anymore. At least she could TRY.

A power-up glow ahead, it was calling her name but Vanellope was inching closer to her. She knew the sounds, the feeling, the lights of the glitch and per the norm it happened.

**_*GLITCH!*_**

Vanellope was getting closer but Taffyta had some tricks up her sleeve.

She just had to concentrate, she just had to focus.

But their voices.

_Taffyta Muttonflub!_

_Lookin' stupid in pink!_

_Cry baby, cry baby!_

_Puh, I bet she teamed up with Turbo since she KNEW she would NEVER be as awesome as Vanellope!_

_Lil cheater!_

She wanted them to stop, but then never did.

And the more she thought….

_"__I am NOT a cry baby!"_

The harder she drove.

She heard Vanellope glitching again but there was no mercy. She was tired of sitting by and letting things 'slide'. If people wanted a race, they were going to get one.

Vanellope glitched again, moving closer and closer to the power-up! The raven racer felt as if she could just reach out and touch it but then-!

**_*BREEEEEEEEEP!*_**

"WHOA!"

Rule one of Sugar Rush, anything goes.

Rule two?

Anything goes…including sudden improvising using one's horn.

Vanellope felt as if she had LAUNCHED herself out of her own seat as she heard Taffyta's horn blaring next to her.

Why hadn't she done this for YEARS?

The strawberry race barreled into the power-up!

GUMMIE BEAR-IT ALL!

Oh, a nice one!

Sparkles and flashes came from the small kart as a large cannon appeared atop it. Turning around, Taffyta aimed her cannon at the cars that were coming right up the bend and with one good aim.

**_*BOOM!*_**

Gummie bears EVERYWHERE!

And what was the major effect of that?

With the combination of the hot tires and the sticky candy, the other racers quickly found themselves, for the lack of better terms, unable to bare how slow they were going, the gooey mass of melted candy making their karts run slow.

"Yeee-UK!" said Vanellope, her nose twitching at the smell of burning sugar "Remind me again why our programmers thought it was funny to torture us like this!"

And like that, Taffyta was off in a flash not even looking back once to see if anyone was behind her. She just wanted to cross that finish line, to get things over with….

It was close, it was close….

**_*GLITCH!*_**

Vanellope?

Of course.

The racer knew she only had a few glitches left but with the combination of how many she had used with the addition of her still melty tires, the neck-n-neck race was looking a lot harder than she first thought. She tried to move faster but the sudden CLUNK of her engine spelt disaster.

"Whoops!" eeped Vanellope, realizing she had put too much stress on her cart "C'mon baby, don't let me down now!"

Must of have been a fruit leather belt inside, a perfect explanation to why the engine was no smoking!

"OOOOH! Looks like Von Schweetz has a lil trouble!" said the announcer, the audience on baited breath as they looked at the two racers "It's gonna be close folks, it's gonna be CLOSE!"

Close wasn't even good enough to describe it! Vanellope pushed harder and harder; she had to time her glitch JUST RIGHT or run the risk of wasting it but at the rate her cart was going.

"Now or later? NOW OR LATER?"

The choice was PAINFUL!

"URGH! NOW!"

**_*GLITCH!*_**

Vanellope was even CLOSER to Taffyta but once again the raven racer saw that Taffyta was transfixed not on her but on the finishing line ahead. Any other day, this would have been normal but with the way Taffyta had been acting?

It was…a little scary.

"Taffyta! TAFFYTA!" Vanellope shouted "Oh, I know this thing ain't makin' that much noise! TALK TA ME!"

Nothing.

Just silence and anger.

So close, so close!

"Oooh, shouldn't have used that up…." Vanellope cursed to herself, feeling that she was losing a bit of control of her cart. It felt unstable in her hands and she tried to ease up on the speed but by now it was too late. Something else gave way from underneath and with a large *KA-BOOM!* and a scream, Vanellope found that she was now unable to control her cart!

And with luck, who should she run into?

Taffyta of course!

The other racer screamed as she was struck, Vanellope hooking onto the side of her own vehicle.

"Whoa, whoa! Steady, STEADY!" Vanellope said, hoping in vain that maybe THIS could get a word from the other racer but none came.

Screams came but not words.

Get in control, Taffyta! GET IN CONTROL!

The girl hooked a hard left, the wheels BURNING and SQUEALING but it was perfectly timed. Pink Lightening was turned to the front, even if it were hooked onto Vanellope's cart. Vanellope on the other hand didn't like where things were going with this. Both girls were moving MUCH too fast for their own good and whoever crossed the finish line first would only wind up being SMASHED on the wall.

"Taffyta! Slow down!"

NEVER!

"GOBS! CAN YA HEAR ME!?"

I don't want to!

Vanellope gasped in horror, seeing the walls getting closer and closer! Yeah, Taffyta was going to 'win' alright but her prize would be a face full of metal, cement, and other not-nice things.

Vanellope knew what she had to do.

Taffyta was just blind with anger at this point, the deafening screech of her tires surrounding her but then-!

A yank?

"What tha-?!"

**_*GLITCH!*_**

Taffyta screamed as she felt herself being pulled upwards and not a second later, both girls ROLLED onto the ground, Taffyta crossing the finish line but…

**_*BOOOOOOM!*_**

Both girls' carts crashed into the stands and erupted into flames, several people running for their lives as the fire increased. Vanellope coughed as she sat up, shaking a bit and feeling sick to her stomach at what she saw.

She and other kids had been in quite a few crashes but nothing like that.

What would THAT have felt like?

"Taffyta?!" the girl gasped "Are ya ok-?"

"DON'T…say anything."

"Whoa, what was that for?"

A glare. A cold, ANGRY glare.

That was all Vanellope got from the pink racer, her cracked helmet showing forth furious eyes.

"Why did you DO that?!"

"D-Do what?!"

Taffyta stood on her feet, throat tight in anger "Why did you-?! I COULD HAVE-! I WAS ALMOST-!"

"Hey, hey! Simmer down!" said Vanellope, getting on her won feet "Taff, was winnin' really worth…."

The racers looked over, the smoldering wreckage of both their cars sending great billowing clouds of black smoke into the air.

"Was it really worth THAT?!"

"We could have regenerated…." The pink racer said in an annoyed grunt, removing her helmet "We always do so don't act like-!"

"Taffyta, I'm just worried about ya!" Vanellope cut in, lowering the racer's hands "I mean, GEEZE! Your FLYIN' even more than what's POSSIBLE here!"

"I'M AN EXCELLENT DRIVER!" Taffyta roared, throwing her helmet down. Vanellope jumped back, not sure what was going on.

"When did I imply that ya WEREN'T?!"

"Look, I had everything in control okay?!" the pink racer growled "I know we were caught but if ya had just given me time, if ya had just TRUSTED ME, I would have been able ta spin us out before we cr-!"

"Urgh, what did ya do?!"

That wasn't the voice of anyone from Sugar Rush.

Both girls looked over, seeing a few other characters marching over.

And they did NOT look happy.

"Um, ya guys okay?" said Vanellope "I know that blast was BIG so if any of ya need help, ya can go over ta tha clinic to-!"

"We're not hurt!" said one character, a cyclops girl, shouted and looking none too pleased "But we could have been no thanks to HER!"

Vanellope stepped forward, sensing that the crowd was getting ugly "Hey, ya know tha races here can get INTENSE but there is no reason ta blame people for this so just chill. I'LL personally see to any damage that was caused here so-!"

A loud laugh was heard from the crowd "Ya wanna help us? Get rid of MUTTONFLUB over there!"

Vanellope jolted back "'SCUSE ME?"

"Ha, if she weren't so jealous I bet none of this would have happened!"

"I bet she wouldn't have even made it across the finish line!"

"Just like always?"

"Just like always!"

And so it began.

Taffyta said nothing, looming back in the shadows of Vanellope as the crowd began to go about their daily routine on her.

She couldn't drive, she was boring.

She was just Taffyta.

And as everyone knew, Taffyta was the WORST racer in Sugar Rush.

No, in ANY racing game!

Forget racing games.

Taffyta Muttonfudge was the worst character, PERIOD.

"So, have fun winnin' first place?" jeered another patron "Wanna take your first place trophy? Its waiting right there for ya!"

"Oooh, I think she's gonna cry!"

"Then I guess we did our job!"

"HEY HEY HEY!" cried Vanellope, pushing a few people back "No a'that! We're not havin' that here! Its bad enough we still hafta deal with a crash but-!"

"Nelly, stop."

The raven racer turned around, Taffyta placing a heavy hand on her shoulder. If Vanellope thought the crowd scared her, the look on Taffyta's face pushed that out of the way. Maybe she had EXPECTED her to cry but crying would have been welcomed compared to the dark gaze she was getting.

"Um, Taff?"

"Don't waste your time coverin' for me…." The girl said, her tone surprisingly calm "I know this was my fault, kay? Is that what everyone wants ta hear?"

The crowd was silent but they still made it clear that Taffyta wasn't welcomed around them. Vanellope felt a bit pressed in the moment, confused to what was actually going on around her. She knew she had to contend with the crowd but Taffyta was telling her that things were alright, that she wasn't bothered.

Liar, liar. Racer on fire.

"W-wait, what do ya mean by th-?"

"I still won right?"

"T-technically, yeah…" Vanellope said, looking to the side "Your car DID cross first an' even after that, ya were tha one who ROLLED past the line so-!"

"I'll take my trophy…"

Taffyta strutted up to the stands, taking the first place trophy but instead of waiting for the others to take their own she walked off, leaving racers, fans, and spectators alike to wonder.

Just what had happened?

The girl walked. She walked for mile and miles away from the track. She didn't want to hear it, she didn't want to see it.

She didn't want anything to do with it.

But the trophy reminded clutched in her hands, a reminder that as much as she hated that place she had still gone there. She had still raced.

But it felt empty, hollow, worthless.

Like her?

Like her.

She stood at the edge of the Mint Cliffs, the wind blowing through her hair as she looked down at the strawberry soda sea. She could smell the fizzy pop hitting her nose but even with her favorite flavor around her, she didn't feel any better.

If anything, she felt worse.

Strawberries.

Like her.

And according to the arcade, anything that she liked, anything like her….

Was bad.

She looked at the trophy, the golden luster showing forth a girl as lifeless as the code that filled her. She hated that face, she hated those eyes.

She didn't know what else to think, the voices of others surrounding her.

One tear.

Just one.

Thank the programmers she had kept herself from crying when she was with the others. If she had, she would have never heard the end of it.

She clutched the trophy in her tiny hands, gloves squeaking against gold.

What was the point of such an article if she no longer desired the value of it as she had before in her life.

She drew an arm back….

And tossed the trophy into the sea.


	2. Chapter 2 - Character

Chapter Two – Character

The all clear had been given and characters were starting to file out of the games to hit the nightly run. It was always so wonderful to see so many people gathering in the station, ready to trade ears with stories of the day and to hit a movie or go to Tapper's.

But on this night, such activities were not in the mind of one racer.

In the past Taffyta would have loved to go out with the others, to hang out and have some fun but like so many things she had previously loved to do, they were all marred by the faces of others, the faces of so many who made it loud and clear they did not want her around. And even if they did, it was only so she could be the butt end of so many jokes. Jokes that she had no real power to go against, least she be labeled as something else terrible.

No, tonight Taffyta decided to stay in but she was so bored. She didn't want to bother anyone else, knowing they were off doing whatever but she couldn't just stay in her home. She looked out the window of her little cottage.

The candy castle.

Oh, such a wonderful sight but it had changed ownership a few weeks ago. No more did King Candy roam the halls but the rightful ruler of the game, Vanellope Von Schweetz.

Vanellope Von Schweetz.

Vanellope Von Schweetz.

Taffyta sighed heavily; it was a name she heard so much but why was that strange? After all, it wasn't as if Vanellope was some strange new addition to the game. She had been in the game all along but perhaps it was something else that was bothering her so much. Something else that made her want to shout out to the heavens above that….

No, that couldn't have been it!

Taffyta shook her head, trying to free herself of everything that was bothering her but for the code of her, it was next to impossible. The only thing she could hear were all the laughs and the jeers, everything aimed at her.

And the fact that they did it without remorse or punishment.

If anything, that's what bothered her the most.

"Is it really worth it?" she said to herself, twirling the ends of her hair in her fingers "Its not like they'd listen to anythin' I hafta say anyway. Just another character who's drowned out by many…"

Character?

An idea.

A thought.

She looked back over towards the castle again, noticing that the lights in Vanellope's room were not on.

She had to be out. After coming back to the game, Vanellope spent more time OUTSIDE than in which meant that the only people inside were the staff.

Staff who didn't care WHICH of the Candy Racers came in.

"I know it's there somewhere…." the racer thought to herself "But it might take me a while ta find it."

What exactly was on Taffyta's mind? Whatever it was, she didn't waste a beat, running out of her cottage and to the castle. After addressing herself, the guards let her in and after a few more dashes in through the halls, making a few hands twirl here and there with her speed, she had finally arrived.

The library.

The great, HUGE ENORMOUS library!

This was a place than she and the others had only seen from afar. King Candy had NEVER let them explore the place nor touch a single book. Something about how the books were blank, that they were just there for show.

But after the reset, the kids soon learned it was yet another lie told by the 'beloved' ruler.

Taffyta peered around but she jumped back once she saw three others there.

"Oh! Guys?"

"Hey!" smiled one Swizzle Malarkey, a huge stack of books next to him.

Figures, the big dork practically LIVED in the place once it had become open to him but what where Minty and Crumbellina doing with him?

_Wasn't Rancis the ladies' man?_

"So is this how ya spend your weekends?" Taffyta said with a smirk, her hands to her hips. Swizz tipped up his hat.

"Aw, c'mon! What's wrong with lookin' at a book or two?"

"Puh, nothin'…." huffed Minty, pinching Swizz's nose "But for tha love of everythin' sweet n' dandy, did ya REALLY hafta drag ME inta this? I wanted ta go ta tha movies tonight but it was all 'OH! Sorry Minty! I just GOTTA check this out AGAIN, as if I don't have any other time to!"

Taffyta looked over, her brow arching "Then why are YA here?"

"Someone's gotta watch 'im…." The green racer said, going back to her own book "I don't want this knuckle head to just set up house here…."

"An' ya, 'Lina?" said Taffyta "Ya decided to join them?"

Crumbellina, looking as proper and prim as usual, put down her tea and gazed upon Taffyta.

THOSE EYES.

"I had actually arrived before these two, not being on the roster and all…." The girl said, her voice sounding as silky as the caramel her candies had "It wouldn't have been very becoming of me to tell them they COULDN'T join me."

"Swizz, STOP IT!" growled Minty, tossing Swizz off his chain and into a pile of books. A bit of darkness came over Crumbellina's face.

Yeah, she didn't want them there.

"MOST unbecoming."

Taffyta felt a shiver go down her spine "Ehe, w-well, I don't want ta break up this banter ya got goin' here…I-I just came by for some….um, well HISTORY of this place!"

"History books are over there…" Swizz said as he popped out of the book pile.

"No, no. Not THAT history…." The girl said, walking closer to the boy. She then whispered in his ear "I need somethin' more….more informative."

"Er, what exactly do ya me-?"

"I mean….Tobikomi…."

Swizz stepped back, a little confused by what Taffyta had meant but by the look in her cold blue eyes, she was dead-set on getting her hands on something…TOBIKOMI.

"Taaaaaaff?"

"Look, I just need a…."

The girl took notice in the prying eyes of Minty and Crumbellina but Taffyta just waved, taking Swizz by the shoulder and pulling him into a corner.

"I need…our guide."

Swizz' eyes widened at the request "WH-!?"

"Not so loud!" Taffyta blurted, slamming her hand on Swizz' mouth rather roughly.

_"__Ow! You made me bite my lip!"_

"Swizz, ya know this place like the back of your hand! Ya can at least tell me there's some hidden Tobikomi….STUFF in here! A-and the guide SHOULD be here! All games have hidden info books in them!"

Swizz rubbed his sore lip, giving the girl a flustered look "Yeah, its true. We DO have one."

"Really?!"

"But what makes ya think I'm gonna tell ya know where they are?"

Taffyta blanched but she quickly became angry "SWIZZ. REALLY. What do ya expect ME ta do with 'em? CHEAT?!"

"N-No!" the boy stammered "Its just…"

"OH, I see…You're just like EVERYONE else in the arcade, ain't cha?"

"What do ya mean by that?"

"What I mean, SWIZZ is that ya don't trust me do ya? Ya think, just like EVERYONE else, that I'm sort of brat that's always up ta no good!"

"NO! That's-! That's not what I meant!"

Taffyta mood turned serious, looking Swizz right in the eyes "Then why, Swizzle? Why?"

The boy faltered, looking around as he pulled Taffyta deeper into the corner "Okay, ya wanna know tha truth? Can ya keep it?"

Taffyta glared at Swizzle "Ya ask ME ta keep a promise. Ho-kay, shall I go over tha vast LIST of promises YOU have broken over the years?"

"Taffyta…."

"One, that time ya promised Minty ya would NEVER tell ANYONE about her-!"

"Okay, OKAY! I Get it!" huffed the boy, putting a hand to his head "But I'm one-hundred percent super-duper, I don't wanna get my butt kicked SERIOUS about keepin' this zipped, Taff! Not even MINTY knows about this and if she found out I was keepin' thing from HER, she'd break me in half!"

"Ya sure she wouldn't break ya in half if I told her…"

"TAFFYTA!"

"Dear, Swizz. Continue…"

"Okay, I've been sneakin' in here for a few nights. Just ta catch up on things, nothin' bad…." Swizz said "An' we got LOADS of books about us! So many of 'em!"

"An'? Doesn't explain why ya don't wanna tell me 'bout 'em?"

Swizzle sighed heavily "I'm just worried….I'm just worried that if someone else finds 'em, we'll have a repeat of what happened when TURBO came in."

The strawberry racer blinked, looking interested in the boy's confession "Turbo? Ya think HE came in here to find-?"

"Look, Turbo broke in with the pass code an' that was it, right? Pah-SHAW. He need more than that ta get this place to his likin'!" Swizz laughed, rolling his eyes "Yeah, he was able ta carry this place for more than a decade but how do ya think HOW?"

Taffyta thought for a moment, her eyes lighting up "The books?"

"Bingo." nodded Swizz "He needed info on ALL of us an' after goin' through 'em, I can only guess it was after he managed to swipe a few of 'em that he knew EXACTLY what ta do. He had knowledge of the tracks, on the design of this place an'….."

Swizz stopped, his brows furrowing. Taffyta knew exactly what he was going to say.

"On us?"

"Yeah…." The boy nodded grimly "On us…."

"Swizz, I don't wanna take over ANYTHING." said Taffyta "I just wanna check on somethin'. Somethin' about ME."

"You? What could ya-?"

"Its personal, okay? I need a bio book or somethin'. Somethin' right from tha programmer's mouths about WHO we are. WHAT we are!"

"Wow, you're serious about this!"

"SWIZZLE!"

"Okay, okay!" the boy said, putting up his hands "Don't pop a code, okay?"

Swizzle walked from the corner and headed for one of the higher shelves in the vast room, climbing up the ladder as he fingered through a few books.

"Dat, dat, daaaaaaaa…..Here!"

Taffyta stood below, looking up "Is…is that it?"

The book came flying down, Taffyta catching it in her gloved hands. The cover was brightly illustrated, picture of ALL the racers on the cover.

Wow, she had never seen such a thing before in her life. She could only wonder what would have happened if King Candy…TURBO had caught her with it.

"This has EVERYTHING?"

"Yup!" Swizz smiled but before he could continue, Taffyta flew from the room, running as fast as she could.

"This is it! THIS IS IT!" she said to herself in glee, her heart beating rapidly against the hard cover. She blew past the guards, bowling over a few in the process as she made her way home. She slammed the door and shut all the curtains, checking EVERYWHERE to make sure no one had followed her home.

Wait, why was she doing this?

It was just a BOOK after all.

But it was an important book.

She looked down at the thing, almost shaking and scared to open it but she had come this far. She had to look in.

"O-okay…." She breathed "Calm down, calm down."

She opened the cover, looking through the index to see the list of EVERYONE in the game.

She came after Vanellope….

She looked at BOTH their names, her stomach twisting in knots.

Maybe later. Maybe later…..

Who was the third racer?

Ah, Candlehead.

"Ah-ahaha!" Taffyta laughed nervously "Th-this ought to be a good read!"

_Candlehead!_

_Height: 3'-_

"I don't wanna know how tall she is!" the girl blustered, moving on.

_This bright racer seems to have her head in the clouds!_

"Pfft, of course." the racer snickered "That sounds like C-Butt alright!"

_Candlehead was inspired to race thanks to her parents!_

"Hmmm?" Taffyta read on "Interestin'…..we actually had…PARENTS?"

Parents? There wasn't a single ADULT in Sugar Rush but at the thought of parents, Taffyta began to wonder.

What would they look like?

What would CANDLEHEAD'S parents look like? Would they have candles atop their heads as well?

Much to her surprise, Taffyta found she was becoming GLUED to the wealth of information that was provided by her. It was all there at her fingertips; the character's stats, their likes and their dislikes but what Taffyta found most interesting was just how much focus was given into the characters THEMSELVES.

Swizzle was right. With this in his hands, Turbo DID have control over everyone.

And maybe that was how he KNEW to play into their fears because he had EVERY source of them.

But what Turbo once found and used as a means to give power to himself, Taffyta was purely entertained, the bright pictures and words pulling her in more and more. She kept reading, tickled by how much Candlehead WAS like her written bio but at the same time, she had so many other qualities, qualities that were NOT in the book.

She had known Candlehead for years. She was goof yes but so kind and considerate. She could eat you out of house and home but she was always there to fed those who DIDN'T have any food, spending hours and hours by herself to ensure so many tiny candy people were taken care of.

Taffyta felt funny as she kept reading. She felt…good.

Good because once she thought back, she realized that despite what everyone said about Candlehead, she knew better than that.

She knew Candlehead was a good person.

She knew ALL the racer were good kids.

It was like everyone said; you're not EXACTLY like your code.

But if only the other people in the arcade would take the time to see that, rather than just slapping them with the unfortunate title of 'Vanellope's wasted back-up band'.

"Or whatever they called us…." The strawberry racer sighed, her legs kicking in the air as she read on.

She kept looking but suddenly a little box near the end of the entry caught her eye.

"Wait, what's this?"

TobiKomi notes?

"Hmmm…"

_For hardcare fans of TobiKomi games, Candlehead (and a few other of the racers) should look familiar!_

"Oh? What's this all about?" the strawberry racer said, reading on.

_A little game by the name of Guardian Seed should come to mind when looking at her! I guess Snapdragon and Mugwort let their little baby race!_

Snapdragon? Mugwort?

Those were FLOWERS, not candy.

"Stange…." The racer said, moving on "I wonder if anyone else has a note like that…."

Taffyta looked on but to her dismay, she found that some of the words had been black out.

"What the-?"

Vanellope couldn't have done this. Why would she put so much damage in her own books?

Oh course, who ELSE could have done such a thing?

"I guess Turbo put precautions EVERYWHERE…" the pink racer huffed "Even if all it took was a black marker."

The girl thumbed through the book, finding in a few pages Turbo had left his mark, and his doodles, EVERYWHERE. On Snowanna's entry something was marked out about a 'special instrument' could come in handy. For Sakura, something about taking talents after her parents was marked off.

Again with the parents.

It seemed with EVERY entry something was marked off.

But could that mean that things were marked off for HER entry as well, and perhaps Vanellope's.

Taffyta dreaded looking at her own page and couldn't even convince herself to go to Vanellope's. She was just too nervous. She slammed the book, looking at the illustrated cover. She and Vanellope seemed to take center stage above the others, each one drawn as if they were supposed to symbolize something, but WHAT exactly?

She knew everyone in the arcade considered them rivals, or worse, but there was just something about how they were drawn together that made the girl wonder.

There was more to this, there was always something more.

And even better, maybe there was more to her.

Her fingers shook as she reached down for the book but again she was too nervous to look at her own entry or that of the ruling monarch.

Maybe if she just waited.

"Y-Yeah…" she squeaked "I-I have so many others to look at! It can wait!"

_Candlehead! This bright racer seems to have her head in the clouds but that doesn't stop her from lighting up the track! That light of hers is always leading her to victory but once the race is over, she can't help herself to have a little party or two. The more food, the better for this little racer with the big appetite! She can be a little ditzy at times and it's not uncommon for her to be the butt of many of her friends' jokes but don't be fooled by those big eyes and goofy smile. Candlehead is a rocket on the track and you'll be surprised when it is SHE who has the last laugh! She just BLOOMS with excitement and fun!_


End file.
